How to Clean a Wood Deck Yourself

Decks require periodical cleaning to look their best.

If your deck is old or stained, you can clean it and restore its natural beauty. Cleaning and then sealing your deck also prolongs the life of the wood. You can clean a deck yourself with supplies available at your home improvement store.

Things You'll Need

• Push broom
• Stiff brush
• Screwdriver
• Laundry detergent
• Deck cleaner
• Bleach

Instructions

1. Remove everything portable from your deck, including potted plants. Cover delicate plants around the deck to protect them from damage.

2. Sweep off the deck with a stiff-bristled broom. Scrub stubborn areas with a brush. Remove any dirt or debris caught between the boards. Work the debris loose with a screwdriver.

3. Clean the deck with a solution of 3 quarts of water and 1/3 cup of powdered laundry detergent, or a commercial deck cleaner. Scrub the deck boards with a brush or push broom. Rinse the deck with a garden hose to remove the soap and remaining dirt.

4. Treat hard-to-remove stains on your deck, such as mildew or algae, with a bleach solution of 1 part bleach in 4 parts water. Do not add ammonia cleaners as it reacts with bleach to form a poisonous gas. Apply the bleach solution to the stain and let it sit for a few minutes. Scrub the stain and rinse it off. If the stain is still there, put more bleach on it and let it sit longer. Rinse the deck completely to remove any bleach or remaining soap.

5. Let the deck dry thoroughly before you reseal it.

References

• Forest Products Center at the University of Tennessee: Care for Wood Decks

Resources

• University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service: Hit the Deck! -- Cleaning and Maintenance of Outside Decks –